Badger culling will end in England by 2029, the government has said. Some culls under existing licences will continue until 2026, according to sources at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), but it is highly unlikely any new ones will be granted. The National Farmers’ Union has been lobbying government to keep […]
Tag: bovine tuberculosis
Vaccinations Work Better Than Culling for Bovine Tuberculosis in Badgers, Study Finds
Rather than culling animals amidst major disease outbreaks, a new study has found a potentially more effective alternative: vaccinations. At least that’s what researchers confirmed for curbing bovine tuberculosis in badgers in research recently published in the journal People and Nature. The findings are promising for not only protecting badgers but also cattle, which have […]
UK Government Issues Badger Cull Licenses Despite Scientific Opposition
The UK government has recently issued 17 new badger cull licenses, disregarding the advice of Dr. Peter Brotherton, the scientific advisor from Natural England. Leaked documents revealed by the Guardian show that the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) is continuing the cull to manage bovine tuberculosis (bTB) in cattle, despite Brotherton’s assertion […]
Badger culls are not best way to cut bovine TB, report finds
Improved cattle testing, better financial and mental health support for farmers, and cattle and badger vaccination will more effectively tackle bovine TB in cattle than culling badgers, according to a report. The review of evidence by the Badger Trust comes after 10 years of culling in England killed 210,237 badgers, costing £58.8m, without a significant […]